april hopes-第73章

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〃Well；　her　nose；〃　suggested　Dan。　　〃It　seems　a　little　capricious。〃

〃It's　a　trifle　bizarre；　I　suppose。　　But　what　beautiful　eyes！　　And　her
figure！　　I　declare　that　girl's　carriage　is　something　superb。〃

〃Yes；　she　has　a　magnificent　walk。〃

〃Walks　with　her　carriage；〃　mused　Brinkley　aloud。

His　wife　did　not　regard　him。　　〃I　don't　know　what　Miss　Anderson's
principles　are；　but　her　practices　are　perfect。　　I　never　knew　her　do　an
unkind　or　shabby　thing。　　She　seems　very　good　and　very　wise。　　And　that　deep
voice　of　hers　has　such　a　charm。　　It's　so　restful。　　You　feel　as　if　you
could　repose　upon　it　for　a　thousand　years。　　Well！　　You　will　get　down
before　we　leave？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；〃　said　Dan。　　〃I'm　here　after　a　man　who's　after　a　patent；　and
as　soon　as　I　can　finish　up　my　business　with　him　I　believe　I　will　run　down
to　Fortress　Monroe。〃

〃This　eleven…o'clock　train　will　get　you　there　at　six；〃　said　Brinkley。
〃Better　telegraph　for　your　rooms。〃


〃Or；　let　us　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃and　we'll　secure　them　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　said　Dan。

He　went　away；　feeling　that　Mrs。　Brinkley　was　the　pleasantest　woman　he　ever
met。　　He　knew　that　she　had　talked　Miss　Anderson　so　fully　in　order　to　take
away　the　implication　of　her　husband's　joke；　and　he　admired　her　tact。　　He
thought　of　this　as　he　loitered　along　the　street　from　Wormley's　to　the
Arlington；　where　he　was　going　to　find　Miss　Anderson；　by　an　appointment　of
the　night　before；　and　take　a　walk　with　her；　and　thinking　of　tact　made　him
think　of　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　was　full　of　tact；　and　how　kind　she　had
always　been　to　him！　　She　had　really　been　like　a　mother　to　him；　he　was　sure
she　had　understood　him；　he　believed　she　had　defended　him；　with　a　futility
of　which　he　felt　the　pathos；　he　made　her　defend　him　now　to　Alice。　　Alice
was　very　hard　and　cold；　as　when　he　saw　her　last；　her　mother's　words　fell
upon　her　as　upon　a　stone；　even　Mrs。　Pasmer's　tears；　which　Dan　made　her
shed；　had　no　effect　upon　the　haughty　girl。　　Not　that　he　cared　now。

The　blizzard　of　the　previous　days　had　whirled　away；　the　sunshine　lay
still；　with　a　warm　glisten　and　sparkle；　on　the　asphalt　which　seemed　to
bask　in　it；　and　which　it　softened　to　the　foot。　　He　loitered　by　the　gate　of
the　little　park　or　plantation　where　the　statue　of　General　Jackson　is
riding　a　cock…horse　to　Banbury　Cross；　and　looked　over　at　the　French…
Italian　classicism　of　the　White　House　architecture　with　a　pensive　joy　at
finding　pleasure　in　it；　and　then　he　went　on　to　the　Arlington。

Miss　Anderson　was　waiting　for　him　in　the　parlour；　and　they　went　a　long
walk　up　the　avenues　and　across　half　the　alphabet　in　the　streets；　and
through　the　pretty　squares　and　circles；　where　the　statues　were　sometimes
beautiful　and　always　picturesque；　and　the　sparrows　made　a　vernal　chirping
in　the　naked　trees　and　on　the　green　grass。　　In　two　or　three　they　sat　down
on　the　iron　benches　and　rested。

They　talked　and　talkedabout　the　people　they　knew；　and　of　whom　they　found
that　they　thought　surprisingly　alike；　and　about　themselves；　whom　they
found　surprisingly　alike　in　a　great　many　things；　and　then　surprisingly
unlike。　　Dan　brought　forward　some　points　of　identity　which　he；　and　Alice
had　found　in　themselves；　it　was　just　the　same　with　Miss　Anderson。　　She
found　herself　rather　warm　with　the　seal…skin　sacque　she　had　put　on；　she
let　him　carry　it　on　his　arm　while　they　walked；　and　then　lay　it　over　her
shoulders　when　they　sat　down。　　He　felt　a　pang　of　self…reproach；　as　if　he
had　been　inconstant　to　Alice。　　This　was　an　old　habit　of　feeling；　formed
during　the　months　of　their　engagement；　when；　at　her　inspiration；　he　was
always　bringing　himself　to　book　about　something。　　He　replied　to　her
bitterly；　in　the　colloquy　which　began　to　hold　itself　in　his　mind；　and　told
her　that　she　had　no　claim　upon　him　now；　that　if　his　thoughts　wandered　from
her　it　was　her　fault；　not　his；　that　she　herself　had　set　them　free。　　But　in
fact　he　was　like　all　young　men；　with　a　thousand；　potentialities　of　loving。
There　was　no　aspect　of　beauty　that　did　not　tenderly　move　him；　he　could　not
help　a　soft　thrill　at　the　sight　of　any　pretty　shape；　the　sound　of　any
piquant　voice；　and　Alice　had　merely　been　the　synthesis　of　all　that　was
most　charming　to　this　fancy。　　This　is　a　truth　which　it　is　the　convention
of　the　poets　and　the　novelists　to　deny；　but　it　is　also　true　that　she　might
have　remained　the　sum　of　all　that　was　loveliest　if　she　would；　or　if　she
could。

It　was　chiefly　because　she　would　not　or　could　not　that　his　glance
recognised　the　charm　of　Miss　Anderson's　back　hair；　both　in　its　straying
gossamer　and　in　the　loose　mass　in　which　it　was　caught　up　under　her　hat；
when　he　laid　her　sacque　on　her　shoulders。　　They　met　that　afternoon　at　a
Senator's；　and　in　the　house　of　a　distinguished　citizen；　to　whose　wife　Dan
had　been　presented　at　Mrs。　Whittington's；　and　who　had　somehow　got　his
address；　and　sent　him　a　card　for　her　evening。　　They　encountered　here　with
a　jocose　old　friendliness；　and　a　profession　of　being　tired　of　always
meeting　Miss　Anderson　and　Mr。　Mavering。　　He　brought　her　salad　and　ice；　and
they　made　an　appointment　for　another　walk　in　the　morning；　if　it　was　fine。

He　carried　her　some　flowers。　　A　succession　of　fine　days　followed；　and　they
walked　every　morning。　　Sometimes　Dan　was　late；　and　explained　that　it　was
his　patent…right　man　had　kept　him。　　She　was　interested　in　the　patent…right
man；　whom　Dan　began　to　find　not　quite　so　simple　as　at　first；　but　she　was
not　exacting　with　him　about　his　want　of　punctuality；　she　was　very　easy…
going；　she　was　not　always　ready　herself。　　When　he　began　to　beat　about　the
bush；　to　talk　insincerities；　and　to　lose　himself　in　intentionless
plausibilities；　she　waited　with　serene　patience　for　him　to　have　done；　and
met　him　on　their　habitual　ground　of　frankness　and　reality　as　if　he　had
not　left　it。　　He　got　to　telling　her　all　his　steps　with　his　patent…right
man；　who　seemed　to　be　growing　mote　and　more　slippery；　and　who　presently
developed　a　demand　for　funds。　　Then　she　gave　him　some　very　shrewd；
practical　advice；　and　told　him　to　go　right　into　the　hotel　office　and
telegraph　to　his　father　while　she　was　putting　on　her　bonnet。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃that's　what　I　thought　of　doing。〃　　But　he　admired　her　for
advising　him；　he　said　to　himself　that　Miss　Anderson　was　the　kind　of　girl
his　father　would　admire。　　She　was　good；　and　she　was　of　the　world　too；
that　was　what　his　father　meant。　　He　imagined　himself　arriving　home　and
saying；　〃Well　father；　you　know　that　despatch　I　sent　you；　about　Lafflin's
wanting　money？〃　and　telling　him　about　Miss　Anderson。　　Then　he　fancied　her
acquainted　with　his　sisters　and　visiting　them；　and　his　father　more　and
more　fond　of　her；　and　perhaps　in　declining　health；　and　eager　to　see　his
son　settled　in　life；　and　he　pictured　himself　telling　her　that　he　had　done
with　love　for　ever；　but　if　she　could　accept　respect；　fidelity；　gratitude；
he　was　ready　to　devote　his　life　to　her。　　She　refused　him；　but　they　always
remained　good　friends　and　comrades；　she　married　another；　perhaps　Boardman；
while　Dan　was　writing　out　his　telegram；　and　he　broke　into　whispered
maledictions　on　his　folly；　which　attracted　the　notice　of　the　operator。

One　morning　when　he　sent　up　his　name　to　Miss　Anderson；　whom　he　did　not
find　in　the　hotel　parlour；　the　servant　came　back　with　word　that　Miss　Van
Hook　would　like　to　have　him　come　up　to　their　rooms。　　But　it　was　Miss
Anderson　who　met　him　at　the　door。

〃It　seemed　rather　formal　to　send　you　word　that　Miss　Van　Hook　was
indisposed；　and　Miss　Anderson　would　be　unable　to　walk　this　morning；
and　I　thought　perhaps　you'd　rather　come　up　and　get　my　regrets　in　person。
And　I　wanted　you　to　see　our　view。〃

She　led　the　way　to　the　window　for　it；　but　they　did　not　look　at　it；　though
they　sat　down　there　apparently　for　the　purpose。　　Dan　put　his　hat　beside
his　chair；　and　observed　some　inattentive　civilities　in　inquiring　after
Miss　Van　Hook's　health；　and　in　hearing　that　it　was　merely　a　bad　headache；
one　of　a　sort　in　which　her　niece　hated　to　leave　her　to　serve　herself　with
the　wet　compresses　which　Miss　Van　Hook　always　bore　on　her　forehead　for　it。

〃One　thing：　it's　decided　us　to　be　off　for　Fortress　Monroe　at　last。　　We
shall　go　by　the　boat　to…m